Footwear



Feb. 26, 1946. an. WALPER' Q FOOTWEAR Filed May. 1.2, 1944' 3mm Ca/PPX 0 434 MA/02% Patented F eb. 26, 1946 *UNlTED STATS aren't ore-Ice from the opposite leg. P

Reference is made to my original Patent No.

12,33l',062,date'd October 5, 1943; my second Patent No. 2,349,216,dated May 16, 1944; my third application for patent, Serial No. 494,095, filed July 9, 1943. r I

In the third case it willbe noted that the original tongue has been dispensed with, the inner side wall' ofthe heel and the breast wall thereof converging instead in asharply defined corner,

and there being'moreover atthe corner a sharply defined water'c'asting point. It has been found that such a point in many instances casts the water in the desired direction away from the opposite leg'equally as well as the structureem- :bodying the tongueand moreover equallyas well as the third structurefembodying the declivity "in the'ti'ead directed toward the point.

However, in'some styles of walking there appears to be frequently a drop of water which in defiance of gravity remains molecularly attracted specifically follow the route of the main quantity (away from the direction of the opposite leg) butrathe'r follows the more natural route of the main quantity to the back of the opposite "leg as when ordinary footwear isused and deposits itself in that natural location. Concisely, with the use of my previous or third invention the main quantity of water is directed away from the back of the opposite leg, but the last remaining drop seems to deposit itself thereon, perhaps because of its delayed cast but more likely because in that infinitesimal period it runs back on the heel beyond the point. No reasonable method or means has as yet been devised for promoting the inclusion of this last remaining drop with the main quantity, or in other words, to make the molecular attraction of that drop to the principal quantity of precipitated Water stronger than the same attraction to the remaining or spread moisture on the heel, so I have devised means of shaping or profiling the heel to I 'This invention relatesto'improveme nts in the heels of footwear wherewith the water attracted 'to' the heel and raised with the heel from wet surfaces is cast from the heel in a direction away either prevent the drop from running back or to dissipate or break it down so that it will cling to the heel as spread moisture ratherthan as a molecular body.

' During the forward jerk of the foot between the moment thesmain quantity of water iscast and the moment when the last drop is cast the latter appears tohave a chance torun or follow back on the lower inner rim of the heel, and the drop being therefore more 'or less remote from the pointed corner is probably the reason it is misdirected since the point is essential to the proper direction of the'main quantity. 7

The reason of theseparation of the last drop fromthe main :quantity is 'quite obvious. The main quantity hasmomentum imparted to it by the impetus of the commencement or jerk incident to the forward movement of the foot whereupon its speed is thought to accelerate. The acceleration causes the main quantity to separate itself from the heel and to break into molecules which ordinarilyIare deposited on' the opposite leg, 1. e., when undirected according to my inventions, while the remaining drop whose molecular attraction defies impetus runs or follows back as previously set forth'alongthe lower rim of the heeland is left behind to deposit itself on the opposite leg. Obviously when the water is undirected or improperly directed by leaving the heel elsewhere than at the pointed portion, 'including the last drop, it is deposited at random and at least part of it on the opposite leg.

This last drop may not of course be deposited on the opposite leg at every steptaken by the foot. Indeed if it were to be thus deposited at every step the opposite leg would soon accumulate such an abundance of splatter as to make the wearer indifferent as to whether even the main quantity was or was not properly directed away from the opposite leg. It 'may therefore be only once in a hundred steps that the last drop is deposited on the opposite leg, but nevertheless it is my aim to provide means to obviate the deposit even occasionally of this last drop, though it even be only once in its occurrence during a venture in wet weather. Such is the important object of the present invention.

Another important object is to provide a heel of the class described which will be simple, durable, and inexpensive to produce and to purchase.

With the above and other objects in view as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of partshereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically claimed.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a heel showing one form of. construction in accordance with the present invention, the view being the inner side or right hand side of the heel for an article of footwear for wear on the left foot.

Figure 2 is an opposite side view of the structure of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the same.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevation similar to Figure l precipitated or cast and the instant when that last drop is cast, or, in other words, preventing that last drop from running or following back on the lower inner rim or margin of the heel.

On the drawing a left heel for an article of footwear is indicated by the numeral ill in all the views, and the tread body by H.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1-4 inclusive the bottom face or tread surface of the tread body is evenly inclined from the inner forward corner clear across diagonally to the outer rear region. This formation establishes a low inner forward corner which is sharply defined as at 12 and pointedly tipped as indicated by 13 in order to direct the water cast during the forward movement in a straight ahead path. The low corner keeps the last drop from running back on the lower inner rim of the heel or along the lower rim of the breast since it would have to rise or run up hill in defiance of gravity which in such an instance is found to defeat molecular attraction as can be readily understood.

In the above form of the invention it is preferable to extend the'tread body on its inner side to form a flat surfaced ledge M for directing the water flowing down the inner wall'portion of the heel to the corner 12 and thence to the tip 13 rather than to depend on it flowing to the rim of the tread and thence to the tip by molecular attraction. In this instance the extended portion or lip of the tread body and the breast merge in the sharply defined corner l2 and tip I3.

Very many persons through their peculiarities or abnormalities in walking find no discomfort in wearing footwear having the deformation of an obliquely slanting heel tread, and indeed that applies to the great majority of persons whose feet have been thus shod for testing purposes, and moreover without ill effects. As a matter of fact in many instances the footwear has been proclaimed more comfortable than the conventionall formed.

However, with the conventionally formed heel tread surface similar results are attainable by employing other means of arresting the last drop from running back and thus keeping it at the tip of the heel until the moment of its departure therefrom.

For instance, in the form shown in Figures 5 and 6 I provide a cavity in the inner forward corner of the heel tread body having an acclivitous ceiling [5 up which the last drop will not run, and in the form shown in Figures 7 and 8 I provide one or more alternate V-shaped grooves and ridges l6 formed in the tread surface in the region of that corner, the grooves and ridges running diagonally of the heel and parallel of a line drawn obliquely from said corner across the tread surface to the diagonally opposite portion of said surface, their purpose being to bafile the last drop or to'disperse it over an innoxious area.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material spirit there of. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is desired to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

I claim: 1

l..In a heel for an article of footwear including a tread body, the inner side of said body being extended beyond the normal rise of the heel and forming a flat ledge terminating forwardly on the plane of the breast of the heel, the extended portion and the breast converging in a sharply defined corner.

2. In a heel for an article of footwear including a tread body, the inner side of said body being extended beyond the normal rise of the heel and forming a tread surface of extra-proportional area, the extended portion terminating forwardly on the plane of the breast of the heel, and converging therewith in a sharply defined corner.

3. In a heel for an article of footwear including a tread body the tread surface of which is rearwardly and outwardly inclined, the inclination beginning at the inner corner of the breast and extending to the outer rear region of the heel, the inner side of said body being extended beyond the normal rise of the heel and forming a flat ledge terminating forwardly on the plane of the breast of the heel, the extended portion and the breast converging in a sharply defined corner.

CURRY ORA WAILPER. 

